Shop for a Cause

The weather is getting warm and we can finally take out our little piggies to bask. What better sandal than these sandals from Nisolo Shoes. 

By creating jobs in impoverished areas, Nisolo Shoes helps bring a stable income to the Peruvian outskirts. he $88 for these sandals stands for fair-trade and quality.

These and many more super cute shoes at http://www.nisoloshoes.com/products/delicias-sandal/

These brightly colored woven loafers from Giraffewalk will have you carrying summer wherever you go.  

Fully handmade, these shoes help provide work to people in India that would be impoverished oherwise. Although, pieces jump from India, to Italy, and NYC, they promise to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible.

These $185 flats and more brightly colored shoes at www.shopgiraffe.com

I LOVE State Bags, it would do me no justice to write about them when they so carefully wrote everything you need to know. Product prices range from $18 - $225

Go to the State Bags website for more info at http://www.statebags.com/

Fashion powerhouse Marni is famous for their sleek and modern appeal, but what happens when high fashion meets charity? This exquisitely fun t-shirt collection.

Using the artwork from children around the world, the purchase of these $170 t-shirts gives 100% of all profit to educational and health programs worldwide. Yes, $170 is steep for a t-shirt but 100% means all the money (not including production costs) goes to charity.

This and more unique t-shirts at http://www.marni.com/item/tskay/3FD17CD7/cod10/37318365KA/collection_id/15562

Nika Water is a bottled water company that donated 100% of all their profits to bringing water to clean water, education and sanitation projects in developing countries. I may not agree with buying bottled water, but Nika generously offsets the carbon footprint of their bottles and use only all post-consumer plastics when making they bottles; in other words “bottles making bottles”.

If you still feel uneasy about buying bottled water, try these awesome coconut scented SPF 15 lip balms. They provide the same support with less waste. On sale for only $8 for a pack of 4 it is a great investment if you, like me, always lose your lip balms.

Shop online at http://www.nikawater.org/shop/miscellaneous/4-pack-of-nika-spf-15-lip-balm.html

On World Water Day let’s not forget that our bodies are roughly 70% water and we need to replenish our body’s supply often. Instead of buying bottles water, which sit in a landfill for ages, make sure to consume your water in more ecologically sound ways like this great looking glass carafe. This water-filled carafe could sit on your dining table or by your bedside.

On top of being super chic, this Bib & Sola carafe donates 10% of the £125 price tag to charity: water to help build water wells in Africa.Each hand blown, murano glass carafe is engraved with the phrase “water changes everything”, a constant reminder that your purchase not only contains you clean water, but it also helped change someone’s life with clean well water.

Get it online at http://www.bibandsola.com/collections/frontpage/products/charity-water-water-changes-everything

The People’s Movement is a line of super comfy, Eco-friendly shoes that donate $1 of every purchase to a great cause. This year’s cause is the Plastic Pollution Coalition, an organization that works on stopping plastic pollution and it’s effects on people, animals and the environment.

Although I’m not crazy about hidden wedge sneakers (probably because I’m tall as is), this is the place to get them. The off-white pair lends sophistication to any outfit and the coral ones add playfulness. The off-white ones are available now for $99.95, but to get the coral ones you’ll have to wait until March 20, 2013.

To purchase online or find a retailer near you, go to thepeoplesmovement.com

(Pictures taken from Instagram)

Today is International Women’s Day, and what a better way to celebrate than to help out other women. This is my favorite new item at Global Girlfiend, an online store that sells items fairly made by women internationally (in this case Uganda).

This cotton and leather bucket bag is the perfect new accessory for the spring. It makes lighter outfit out of anything after all the drab black we’ve been wearing for the season. With removable straps, you can chose how your wear it.

Enter SCHOLAR13 at checkout and $1 goes to help fund scholarships for girls in Africa. This $68 bag only at www.globalgirlfriend.com

Spring is around the corner and soon we can get rid of all the bulky layers. Because I still like layers, I will be wearing items like this earthy hooded tunic from Hiptipico.

Handmade by artisans for a fair wage, anything purchased from this Guatemalan company ensures nothing but the best materials and smiling faces on the artisans that can now afford to take care fo their families.

This item is currently on sale for $49 only at www.hiptipico.com

It’s been getting really chilly in NYC, so this organic/fair trade scarf from Indigenous has become my best friend. I should mention that this Tassel Scarf is so great at keeping my head warm, that it’s no longer a scarf…it’s my hoodie.

Handmade by Peruvian artisans with organic materials, this fair trade company makes sure that people in the poorest parts of Peru get a decent wage to send their kids to school and afford to live comfortably.

The part that really impresses me about Indigenous is that the tag comes with a QR code that tells you how your item is made and you can get to know the artisans that make the stuff.

Great for gifts and if you order by December 19 you can get it by Christmas Eve. Get this $70 tassel scarf in many colors at http://www.indigenous.com/shop/product/84622-tassel-scarf-platinum

Lately, I’ve been in the holiday spirit. My choice of song for today is the “Happy Xmas (war is over)” cover from the Instant Karma: The Amensty International Campaign to Save Darfur album.

John Lennon is one of my all-time favorite musicians, and a cover album that helps Amnesty International in their efforts to bring human rights to Darfur (among many places) definitely puts the cherry on top.

This album full of many talented musicians can be downloaded, or purchased at shop.amnestyusa.org

Ann Taylor is a store for mature women, but who’s to say that mature women can’t be a like kid-like? This fun and light scarf, designed by the amazing Virginia Johnson, is perfect in every way. It adds a bit of color to any drab winter black and grey palate, and adds a sense of whimsy.

This fun scarf is $58 and donates 60% to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Get this scarf and help provide necessary cancer treatment to children in need. Warm your neck and your heart. Get it at www.anntaylor.com

I love the look of layered necklaces and bracelets! The people at The Giving Keys make this look so easy to achieve with their one-of-a-kind key, engraved with positive words (which you could customize as well).

The purpose, however, is to spread the message of The Giving Key, so eventually you should surrender the key to a future fan. 

The message? The Giving Key employs formerly homeless people in order to fully transition out of homelessness. You would do many people a favor to give you key and spread the message. At only $35, you could get another one as soon as you give yours up.

Get yours at www.thegivingkeys.com

Anonymous asked: Have you heard of Sseko Designs? Sandals with interchangeable straps made by women in Uganda who are raising money to attend university {or have their children attend university} or open a business to support their family. They make clutches too. It is an AMAZING company based in Portland, OR {and Uganda}. Thought it might be something you'd love. And...I dig your posts. Wish everything I bought could help those in need.

Yes, I love Sseko! I meant to post an entry about them this summer and never got around to it. Thanks so much for your interest!

In case you didn’t already know, today is World Sight Day and I took this opportunity to ask my favorite ophthalmologist, Dr. Mark L. Hornfeld to briefly describe the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The crazy part is that it is treatable with a small procedure!

Please watch this to keep yourself informed, if not for you, for your loved ones that may not know.

Dr. Mark L. Hornfeld is an eye specialist with a wealth of information, and he’s a nice guy too. Check him out at www.vistalaservision.com